Key Vote 2: H.J.Res. 45 - Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act

This bill contains a more than $1 trillion increase in the federal debt ceiling. Raising the debt ceiling should be accompanied by measures to cut spending so that such an increase would not be necessary in future. Instead, this bill merely contains a "pay-as-you-go" procedure which Congress can easily ignore and which does nothing to address the current record spending levels.

"Nay" votes scored.

3: H.R. 4691 - Temporary Extension Act☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 3: H.R. 4691 - Temporary Extension Act

H.R. 4691 would extend a number of programs that are scheduled to expire and ought to be allowed to do so. This includes further extending the already much-extended time limits on unemployment insurance and the wasteful American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds. None of the billions of dollars in new spending in this bill is offset by reductions anywhere else in the budget.

"Nay" votes scored.

4: H.R. 4213 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 4: H.R. 4213 - Unemployment Compensation Extension Act

This bill includes several new taxes that will impose significant costs on businesses and threaten job creation. One undesirable tax increase included in the bill is the elimination of the punitive damages tax deduction. Another added tax increase proposed by the legislation is a new tax on carried interest.

"Nay" votes scored.

5: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 3454 to H.R. 1586 - To establish an earmark moratorium for fiscal years 2010 and 2011☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 5: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 3454 to H.R. 1586 - To establish an earmark moratorium for fiscal years 2010 and 2011

This amendment would ban the corrupting practice of earmarks in the Senate for the next fiscal year. Although they account for a very small percentage of overall spending, earmarks are used by appropriators to buy lawmakers' votes for much larger and more consequential bills.

"Nay" votes scored.

6: On the Motion to Concur: H.R. 2847 - Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act ☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 7: H.R. 4872 - Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act

H.R. 4872 makes the terrible health care legislation recently enacted even worse by adding even more job killing tax hikes, harsher penalties, and new government bureaucracies. It also nationalizes the student loan industry, allowing the federal government to further manipulate and inflate the cost of higher education.

(Note: this is the initial Dodd-Frank Wall Street regulatory bill, eventually passed as H.R. 4173.) This amendment would replace the previous language of the bill with a new bill to create a massive new framework of regulations on the financial sector. This legislation does little to restore responsibility but instead chooses to absolve the big players on Wall Street from responsibility for their role in the financial meltdown by codifying their access to taxpayer-funded bailouts.

This bill imposes a gigantic new framework of mandates, fees, and regulations on the nation's financial services sector and creates a permanent $150 billion Wall Street bailout fund. The Dodd-Frank bill creates a board headed by an unaccountable bureaucrat who can deem a financial institution to be "too big to fail" and thus eligible for a taxpayer bailout if its bad investments become unstable. This actually incentivizes the big banks to continue the kinds of risky lending that caused the financial collapse of 2008.

"Nay" votes scored.

11: H.R. 4899 - Supplemental Appropriations Act✘ Yea

Key Vote 11: H.R. 4899 - Supplemental Appropriations Act

This bill appropriates funding for use in disaster assistance for the earthquake in Haiti, and for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill relief effort in the Gulf, along with a number of smaller, unrelated items. But all of the spending in this bill is designated as "emergency spending", meaning that it is not paid for and therefore adds to our already tremendous national debt.

"Nay" votes scored.

12: On the Motion to Proceed: S.J.Res. 26 - To disapprove of a rule submitted by the EPA✘ Nay

Key Vote 12: On the Motion to Proceed: S.J.Res. 26 - To disapprove of a rule submitted by the EPA

A joint resolution disapproving a rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to their endangerment finding that aims to allow the EPA to enforce a massive crackdown on all greenhouse gas emissions. The regulations that the EPA is considering based upon this finding would cause irreparable damage to the energy sector and our economy at large by sharply increasing the cost of all energy.

This legislation calls for spending an additional $33 billion over the next five years to expand coverage under the S-CHIP program. At a time when our nation is facing record-breaking deficits in the trillions of dollars, expanding autopilot spending programs should not be on the agenda.

"Nay" votes scored.

2: On the Motion: S.Amdt.168 to H.R. 1 - To stop implementation of the stimulus spending.✘ Nay

Key Vote 2: On the Motion: S.Amdt.168 to H.R. 1 - To stop implementation of the stimulus spending.

This amendment would attempt to stop implementation of the stimulus spending. Deficit spending is out of control and is not capable of bringing the United States out of the recession. Any control over stimulus spending would be welcome.

The Ensign/McConnell “Fix Housing First” amendment would offer government backed fixed mortgages at 4% to “any credit worthy” borrower either to purchase a new home or refinance. This plan, which reportedly could cost as much as $200 billion dollars, is a flagrant misuse of taxpayer funds and in essence creates a new housing entitlement fund.
This amendment's cost violates the pay-as-you-go requirements of the Budget Act, so a point of order was raised against the amendment. The vote being scored would waive that point of order and allow the amendment to proceed to a vote on final passage.

"Nay" votes scored.

4: On the Conference Report: H.R.1 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009✘ Yea

Key Vote 4: On the Conference Report: H.R.1 - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

This bill would create $787 billion in new government spending on projects designed to stimulate an economic recovery. It is neither the government's role, nor is it within its ability, to spend the economy into prosperity. This stimulus package merely spends a fortune in taxpayers' hard-earned money to give away to whatever special interests are best able to claim that they can "create jobs".

"Nay" votes scored.

5: S.Amdt. 573 to S. 160 - Preventing the fairness doctrine✔ Yea

Key Vote 5: S.Amdt. 573 to S. 160 - Preventing the fairness doctrine

This amendment, sponsored by Senator DeMint, would prevent the Federal Communications Commission from implementing the fairness doctrine. The fairness doctrine would violate freedom of speech and represents an overreach of government power.

The budget taxes too much, spends too much, and borrows too much. And, potentially worst of all, it would open the door for socialized medicine and a massive energy tax to be enacted later this year without substantial debate through the reconciliation process.

"Nay" votes scored.

7: H.R. 2346 - Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 7: H.R. 2346 - Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009

The bill includes a $100 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. The bill contains funding for other projects that should not be used as a vehicle to ram IMF funding through Congress. Using this method to get the IMF funding passed is dirty Washington politics and law makers should reject it.

"Nay" votes scored.

8: H.R. 1256 - Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act☐ Did Not Vote

The bill includes a $100 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. The bill contains funding for other projects that should not be used as a vehicle to ram IMF funding through Congress. Using this method to get the IMF funding passed is dirty Washington politics and law makers should reject it.

A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the update under the Medicare physician fee schedule for years beginning with 2010 and to sunset the application of the sustainable growth rate formula, and for other purposes

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, or so-called “minibus” would combine six of the seven remaining appropriations bills to fund nine Cabinet departments to the tune of $447 billion and $600 billion in funding for Medicare and Medicaid for a total of $1.1 trillion; a 13% increase over FY 2009 and a 25% increase over FY 2008.

This is the vote on the final passage of ObamaCare. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act neither protects patients nor provides affordable care. It would kill jobs, drive up the price of health care, bankrupt the government, and ruin the world's best health care system. The bill also contains an individual mandate, which forces everyone to either purchase health care or pay a penalty, violating our individual liberty.

This amendment would increase government involvement in the lending and housing markets, rewarding the irresponsible decision makers while punishing those not involved. There is plenty to reform in the housing market, but this is not the way to do it.

This bill would give exclusive bargaining controls to inefficient labor unions over public safety employers. It would thus create a union-run monopoly over all public safety employees and would force local governments to cooperate.

The Act, which proposes to curb greenhouse gases, would significantly hamstring the economy of the United States by burdening taxpayers and risking thousands of jobs as our global competitiveness vanishes under a flood of regulations, taxes, and higher costs.

"Nay" votes scored.

8: On Overriding the Presidential Veto: H.R. 6124 - Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008☐ Did Not Vote

This bill, and farm subsidies generally, benefit politically connected farm corporations and agriculture industry lobbyists through inefficient price hikes and market restrictions. These market-distorting policies mostly benefit those who engage in cronyism, while making it impossible for small, family-owned farms and businesses to compete. The costs of these market distortions then get passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.

"Nay" votes scored.

9: On Agreeing to the Amendment to H.R. 3221 - The Housing and Economic Recovery Act✘ Yea

Key Vote 9: On Agreeing to the Amendment to H.R. 3221 - The Housing and Economic Recovery Act

This is the final vote on the bill that provided a massive (up to $300 billion) bailout to the "Government Sponsored Entities" Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two GSEs were in danger of bankruptcy because of their irresponsibly loose lending practices, and they should have been allowed to go bankrupt instead of putting taxpayers on the hook for their misbehavior. In addition, the bill contains an $800 billion increase in the debt ceiling.

This bill would introduce over 30 new provisions to the tax code that would increase taxes by nearly $2 billion. Congress should not be using the tax code as a way to pick winners and losers in the economy by creating lobbyist-influenced loopholes and deductions, nor should it be raising taxes on the American people, particularly in a time of economic turbulence.

This bill would provide a $700 billion taxpayer-funded bailout of the financial industry. Institutions which make risky loans should be allowed to suffer the consequences of those loans. Bailing them out creates the moral hazard that these banks and lenders know that will not have to suffer the long-term consequences of their bad decision if they merely become "too big to fail".

Key Vote 2: On Passage: H.R. 2 - Fair Minimum Wage Act

The Fair Minimum Wage Act would allow for an increase in the minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour over two years. According to CBO estimates, a minimum wage increase would saddle small businesses with up to $7 billion in added costs.

To protect families, family farms and small businesses by raising the death tax exemption to $5 million and reducing the maximum death tax rate to no more than 35%, to extend college tuition deduction, to extend the student loan interest deduction, to extend the teacher classroom deduction, to protect senior citizens from higher taxes on their retirement income, to maintain U.S. financial market competitiveness, and to promote economic growth by extending the lower tax rates on dividends and capital gains.

"Yea" votes scored.

4: S.Amdt. 489 to S.Con.Res. 21 - To establish a reserve fund for Social Security✘ Nay

This amendment, sponsored by Senator Demint, would establish a reserve fund for Social Security reform. Congress would be able to save Social Security surpluses to be used by future recipients. This helps ensure the long-term stability of the program so that further reforms may be pursued.

"Yea" votes scored.

5: S.Amdt. 510 to S.Con.Res. 21 - Tobacco tax✘ Yea

Key Vote 5: S.Amdt. 510 to S.Con.Res. 21 - Tobacco tax

To provide for the consideration of an increase in the tobacco products user fee rate, but only to the extent that such rate increase does not result in an increase of more than 61 cents per pack of cigarettes, with all revenue generated by such increase dedicated to the re-authorization and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

Key Vote 7: On the Conference Report: H.R. 1495 - Water Resources Development Act of 2007

This water projects bill is bloated with over 900 special-interest earmarks, which far exceeds the $4.9 billion requested by the Army Corps of Engineers. The bill does not set any priorities and would result in funding for truly essential projects, like protections in Louisiana against future hurricanes, being drowned out in a sea of pork.

This bill calls for $50 billion in new funding for the program that far exceeds the $5 billion requested by the President. In addition to greatly expanding a program that was originally designed to be a limited contribution to State health services, this bill would be a giant step toward government controlled health care.

This bill would create a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewables Reserve to invest in alternative energy. This would increase spending and the national debt. The government should not be subsidizing alternative energy.

Key Vote 12: On the Motion: H.Amdt. 1 to H.R. 2764 - Appropriations for the Department of State

A bill making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. This is a spending bill that would add to the national debt.

This amendment, sponsored by Senator Demint, would establish a reserve fund for Social Security reform. Congress would be able to save Social Security surpluses to be used by future recipients. This helps ensure the long-term stability of the program.

"Yea" votes scored. Double Score

5: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 2980 to S. 2349 - To include Federal entities in the definition of earmarks☐ Did Not Vote

Key Vote 5: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 2980 to S. 2349 - To include Federal entities in the definition of earmarks

This amendment, sponsored by Senator McCain, would strike a provision providing $6 million to sugarcane growers in Hawaii, which was not included in the Administration's emergency supplemental request. This is an unnecessary project and is irrelevant to emergency relief.

A bill to express the policy of the United States regarding the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians and to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity. This bill would add more layers of bureaucracy to the Hawaiian government.

"Nay" votes scored.

10: S. 3711 - Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006✘ Nay

Key Vote 10: S. 3711 - Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006

A bill to enhance the energy independence and security of the United States by providing for exploration, development, and production activities for mineral resources in the Gulf of Mexico, and for other purposes.

This legislation moves the United States closer to the goal of creating a region-wide Middle East free trade area by 2013. An agreement with Oman would mark the fifth such nation in the Middle East with open trade ties to the United States. Free trade agreements allow Americans to buy and sell goods in more markets.

2005: 109th Congress 7%

Key Vote 1: S. 5 - Class Action Fairness Act of 2005

S. 5 is a major step towards stopping lawsuit abuse by limiting venue shopping by trial lawyers. Unscrupulous attorneys often bring cases to a handful of state ‘tort hellholes’ where judges and juries consistently produce unreasonable awards with national economic impact. This new legislation would move the largest cases to federal courts, where judges are better equipped to consider the national scope of each case.

"Yea" votes scored.

2: S.Amdt. 150 to S.Con.Res. 18 - Statement on the Financial Condition of Social Security✔ Yea

This amendment, sponsored by Senator DeMint, expresses the sense of the Senate that failing to address the financial condition of Social Security will result in massive debt, deep benefit cuts and tax increases.

Key Vote 9: On the Motion to Table: S.Amdt. 2093 to H.R. 3058 - To prohibit any funds from being used for the Joslyn Art Museum

Motion To Table Coburn Amdt. No. 2093 As Modified; To prohibit any funds under the Act from being used for a parking facility as part of the Joslyn Art Museum Master Plan, in Omaha, Nebraska. This amendment would eliminate at least one wasteful project.

"Nay" votes scored.

10: S.Amdt. 2077 to H.R. 3058 - "Emergency Designation"✘ Yea

Key Vote 10: S.Amdt. 2077 to H.R. 3058 - "Emergency Designation"

This amendment, sponsored by Senator Reed, would provide for appropriations for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. This is a wasteful program that would increase government spending at the expense of free market solutions.

Coburn Amdt. No. 2165, As Modified; To make a perfecting amendment. Senator Coburn's amendment would block construction of the “bridge to nowhere” in Alaska, the leading symbol of earmark abuse in the 109th Congress.

Key Vote 13: S. 1932 - Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act

Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act includes relatively slight reductions in the rate of growth in some mandatory spending programs. Though rather modest, this is a first step in reducing the national debt.

Key Vote 15: S.Amdt. 2610 to S. 2020 - To reinstate for millionaires a top individual income tax rate of 39.6 percent

This amendment, sponsored by Senator Feinstein, would reinstate for millionaires a top individual income tax rate of 39.6 percent, the pre-May 2003 rates of tax on capital gains and dividends, and to repeal the reduction and termination of the phase out of personal exemptions and overall limitation on itemized deductions, until the Federal budget deficit is eliminated. This kind of tax would hurt wealth creation.